“The BOOM Awards are designed to recognize the contributions of people with disabilities as entrepreneurs, athletes and employees,” said Justin Caine, president of the BOOM Awards Board and co-owner of the Lansing-based Good Fruit Video production company. “The best way to encourage people to push their limits is to show them someone who’s done it and succeeded spectacularly – that’s what we hope the BOOM Awards will do.”

Winners will be recognized Nov. 6 at the annual “re: con – The Convention of New Beginnings,” which attracts more than 300 providers of services for people with disabilities and is organized by MARO and the Michigan Rehabilitation Association. Winners will receive an award hand-crafted by people with disabilities; a one-minute video produced about their journey; and an invitation to help nominate and select future award recipients.

Dean Transportation, which provides bus transportation for nearly 20,000 students with disabilities across Michigan, is the lead sponsor of the awards. Other sponsors are Michigan State University Federal Credit Union and Plante Moran. In-kind sponsors include MARO, a statewide association of service providers, Good Fruit Video and the strategic communications firm Truscott Rossman.

“Dean Transportation is committed to getting people with disabilities where they want to go,” said Kellie Dean, owner. “We do that in a very literal sense with our bus service, but we are also proud to sponsor initiatives like BOOM that support people with disabilities in other ways.”

Nominees must be residents of the state of Michigan and have demonstrated excellence over an extended period.

For further information on the awards contact MARO Assistant Director Todd Culver, 517-484-5588 or tculver@maro.org.